will you go out with me? yes or no                                                                                     miriam thew forrester

you asked me out 3 times in 8^th grade.

      you passed me a

                                                tiny

                     folded

     piece of paper with    the

                                9words

longed for most by every 13yearold

                                                                                                                girl

                jumbledintoamisspelledheapstill

                                                                                        defying

thelawsof                  language                          even though

                                 i

                                                                help

                                                                                  you     

everytimeyouask

why is my

                                                                                                heart

               fluttering     ?

earlier    today    you

       dribbled

your words

  ontomyskin intomy pores wherethey

rot

and I can smell my own stink

                                                                                andihateithateyouhatemyselfbutyou

smiled

                                                and so did i

and i hate how i

                                     loved

                the crinkles around

                                      your eyes

                    when you laugh.

i  can make you laugh.

it’s the

                     warmth

                                of your laugh i hear

        when i look in the

                                                mirror

            and all i see is the

dirtygreasy

                           smudge

ofyourwordsandalliwantknowiswhy

                                                                                                why

                                                                do i define myself through

                                                your

                                                                eyes     ?

(i circled no, but i wanted to say

                                                                                                yes.)